Sun praised for undercover work exposing illegal immigration

The Sun was praised by a crown court judge for its work in exposing an illegal immigration racket. Photograph: Rex Features

The Sun has won plaudits from a crown court judge who praised the paper's journalists after an undercover filming operation exposed an illegal immigration racket.

Sentencing Bhavin Shah, 37, to five years after he pleaded guilty to three offences, Judge Robin Johnson at Isleworth crown court said the case showed tabloid journalism techniques were not all questionable.

He said: "Much has been written about the shortcomings of journalists who have pursued stories using questionable methods of investigation.

"This case demonstrates the other side of the coin, where journalists uncover the inscrutable and the criminal."

Undercover reporters posed as potential customers and filmed Shah explaining how he would fix college places to obtain student visas and provide certificates showing proficiency in the English language.

He operated his business from an office in Wembley, north London, and said he would charge the reporters £4,750 to arrange enrolment in colleges which he claimed people did not even have to attend.

The undercover operation into Shah's business was led by Sun investigations editor Brian Flynn.

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